Hydrogen Ion Input to the Hubbard Brook Experimental Fomst, New Hampshire, During the Last Decade^
HYDROGEN ION INPUT TO THE HUBBARD BROOK EXPERIMENTAL FOMST, NEW HAMPSHIRE, DURING THE LAST DECADE^ GENE E. LIKENS, Section of Ecology & Systematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853; F. HERBERT BORMANN, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale Univer- sity, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511; JOHN S. EATON, Section of Ecology & Systematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853; ROBERT S. PIERCE, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Forestry Sciences Lab.; P. 0. Box 640, Durham, New Hampshire 03824; and NOYE M. JOHNSON, Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755. ABSTRACT Being downwind of eastern and midwestern industrial centers, the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest offers a prime location to monitor long-term trends in atmospheric chemistry. Con- tinuous measurements of precipitation chemistry during the last 10 years provide a measure of recent changes in precipi- tation inputs of hydrogen ion. The weighted average pH of precipitation during 1964-65 to 1973-74 was 4.14, with a minimum annual value of 4.03 in 1970-71 and a maximum annual value of 4.21 in 1973-74. The sum of all cations except hydrogen ion decreased from 51 peq/R in 1964-65 to 23 peq/R in 1973-74 providing a significant drop in neutralizing capacity during this period. Based upon regression analysis, the input in equivalents of hydrogen ion and nitrate increased by 1.4-fold and 2.3-fold respectively, from 1964-65 to 1973-74. Input of all other ions either decreased or showed no trend. Based upon a stoichiometric formation process in which a sea-salt, anionic component is subtracted from the total anions in precipitation, SOZ contribution to acidity dropped from 83% to 66%, whereas NO: increased from 15% to 30% during 1964-65 to 1973-74.
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